We Lichen Oregon!

Joining the legions of other families who must evacuate Iowa in early spring, we began that annual tradition of traveling during spring break. Our destination was Corvallis, Oregon, home to Oregon State University ("Powered by Orange!"), but more importantly the home of Phoebe, Julia, Mark, and Sarah. Since moving away last January, we have missed them a great deal.

After being awed by flying over or near Mt. Hood, Mount St. Helen's, and Mt. Rainier, we touched down into the peak of spring with green grass, flowering trees, and 60 degree sunshine. Driving the two hours to Corvallis, the landscape felt like

Vermont, but everything was not quite as old. Corvallis is a big small town, well off the interstate and supported by farming, forestry, and college kids. Mark and Sarah live in a very comfortable suburban home surrounded by giant pine trees and hemlock. Mark can bike to work and the local Co-op is only a few blocks away.

Molly, Phoebe, and Julia were like they had only last seen each other a few days ago. Playing happened immediately and any fighting was only a small skirmish, quickly resolved. We made lots of trips to playgrounds, drinking of local beers, and enjoying fantastic food. We made a day trip to the Oregon coast and dipped our toes into the Pacific while watching surfers suffer in the frigid water. We had way too much to eat at the Crab Shack in Newport and burned it off by trying to fill tidal pools with rocks. We hiked an old growth forest in the rain and saw Trillium bigger than your head and slug large enough to chase off a chipmunk. We also hired a babysitter (an OSU student finishing her masters degree) and enjoyed some quiet time as adults. We had a wonderful visit.

Our trip ended with a little extra

adventure home. The flight from Denver to Des Moines was cancelled before we even left Portland. Rebooked on a fight to Chicago we waited patiently in Denver as 14 inches of snow fell until 12:30 AM when they finally cancelled the flight. With no hotels and Granma and Bumpa snowed in, we procured our wool blankets and camping mattresses (which entailed leaving the secured area, waiting in line to get to baggage

carousel 17 and then waiting in line again to check back through Security) before settling down for the night at Gate B21. Cheryl was awakened by the concourse birds foraging for food and brought Molly and I warm drinks. We were fortunate to make it on to a fight to Des Moines at 10:45 and arrive back to our home by 2:00 PM.

Molly was trooper, treating the overnight at DIA as a big sleepover (without friends) and more than happy to have bacon and pancakes for breakfast at the airport restaurant.

I would like to note that I am 4-for-4 with travelling in 2010. Molly and I had our entire train trip postponed to Denver due to weather, we were caught in a blizzard driving back from St. Paul, I was delayed an extra night returning from Columbus on business trip, and now we were given the opportunity to enjoy the soft flooring of Gate B21 in DIA. I wish I could say that I was done traveling in 2010.